Shadow's Fleet
by Juilette Delphe
Summary: The First book of the Thieve's Tale series. Shadow fights her way through slavery and gets caught up in a battle to save the world from world dimonination. She is the last known shifter and is struggling between the racial hatred and a man who she knows n
1. Prologue

Prologue  
Serin 15, 1345  
The laughter-that horrible laughter. It makes me cringe every time I think about it-what happened last night. But that's every moment I have to myself. I can't believe I failed them. I let my family down. I let them die. All I can smell is the smell of their burning bodies, and their screams echo through my head, their cries. Why couldn't I help them? Why didn't I? This is all my fault. It's my fault they died-burned to death by Navaar's hand. And I didn't do anything-trapped in that house too. Why did I have to be cursed with the element of fire? Making me unhurt by fire's touch. Listening to them scream and plead-begging me to save them. But I couldn't. Navaar-the bastard- had his men chain lock the doors shut-and bar the windows. Then torch the house. There wasn't anything I can do-except fail my family. Why didn't Watch warn us? Why didn't I save my family? Just like I let my mother die, a year ago; I let my family die too. And now there's nothing I can do but be Navaar's slave-why because he wants me. But why should I be his? After all, he's done to my family? To me? But if I keep fighting more people will die-and be hurt. But who's left? My family's dead. Why should I let him hurt me-my family? I failed them once-I won't fail them again. I shall revenge their deaths even if it kills me. Maybe then I can ease my guilt. Maybe they'll forgive me for failing them. But one thing is certain I will not fail them again. 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Shad leaned against the back wall of her stone cell glaring at the bars of her door, and the guards hidden from view. This wasn't the first time she had been here not necessarily this cell but they all were the same. Two strides by two strides of cold hard stone with a low roof and dirt floor. Shad paced the cell again for the millionth time trying to plan an escape but getting nowhere. Oh, she had escaped from here before but not from one of the cells. Guards lined the walls, standing ever vigilant. Plus, the guard changed often so none fell asleep or got tired. She kept pacing the two quick strides down one side then the other making her way around the square cell; her boots made quick thuds on the dirt floor. The sound of hard leather worked boots echoed down the aisle-five men by Shad's count. It was too early for the change of the guard and too few men. It had to be a small escort. The sound drew closer Shad kept pacing crossing her arms while she thought with a furious look on her face. The boots became louder till they were the only things heard echoing down the stone hallways. Shad waited for them to pass, refusing to acknowledge them.  
"Halt!" There was the menacing sound of ten feet hitting the ground and the dead silence that followed. With a light scuffle, two burly soldiers opened the cell door.  
"Out" One barked making a swipe which Shadow easily side stepped and slapped the man with such force that his head spun. Outraged, the guard raced in the cell reaching for Shad's throat but leaving his leather- armored stomach unprotected. Instead, Shadow side kicked him knocking the insolent guard onto his back rendering him breathless. To add to the effect she stepped onto the guard's stomach as she walked out of the cell with her head high and a slight grin. The captain eyed the prisoner from her cold blue eyes the color of a crystal clear lake and her long blonde braid sitting on her left shoulder hanging down almost to her waist to her heavy unadorned broadsword sitting on her right hip to her tall black leather riding boots with thick soles. The captain sneered.  
"Well, well, well what have we here?"  
"Bite me" Shad shot back sneering just as much as the captain was now glaring at her.  
"My lord commands you to come" Shad rolled her eyes  
"So what else is new?" Shadow then thought to herself he's not getting his command; I'm breaking loose. A smug grin slipped on her face causing the captain to pale. If she gets away again, Navaar'll kill me! I can't let her get away...oh who am I kidding? That girl could get away blindfolded. Should I take away her sword? That thing looks so menacing without anything on it.it actually looks useful.  
"Jenkins take her sword. Meed! Bind her hands." The captain commanded in a strong voice masking his fear-or trying to. Surprisingly Shad didn't struggle; instead she put her hands behind her back patiently waiting to be tied. Once the bonds were tied tightly she smiled. The captain visibly trembled. "M-march" As they walked down the long stone halls. Shadow looked at her surrounding while keeping her head down. A trick she learned when she had started training as a thief ten years ago. She flipped back wards loosing a dagger in her boot and sliding it up to her hands cutting the bonds while she was still in the air. She knocked the guard behind her flat on his back. The dagger was a foot long, straight bladed engraved with a few words in Shadow's native tongue: Shifter. With the sharp blade Shadow quickly sliced through her bonds. Following her flip she kicked the guard to her left square in the back with a resounding crack, which of course brought the attention of the rest of her escort.  
"Oops"  
"Get her!"  
"Fat chance!" Shadow yelled over her shoulder as she sprinted towards a glass window. Tucking her head to avoid injury-another trick she learned from her days as a thief- she dove through the window. Upon hitting the ground Shadow rolled and landed on her feet as good as any gymnast. The captain leaned out of the broken window brandishing her sword.  
"You forgot this!" He taunted intending for her to climb up the stonewall and retrieve it giving him another chance to catch her.  
"Oh yeah! Thanks!" Shad closed her eyes and folded her hands into a prayer like position. She whispered "Come to me father" With that the sword glowed white-hot causing the captain to let go. It floated down and slipped between Shadow's folded hands the sword turned to back to its normal state. She opened her eyes and smiled before turning tail and running.  
The castle where Shadow was held prisoner was a small well fortified castle with a good fifteen-foot wall surrounding it. Plus well over one hundred thousand guards, but the castle had one fault it was highly pompous and over estimated the agility of its forces. Meaning the castle had only two guards guarding its only gate. Shad ran swiftly through the thick woods surrounding the castle until she hit the clearing before the gate she paused just out of sight of the guards. How to distract them but not attract enough attention to bring out the whole legion? Should I kill them? Nah I can't kill two at once the other would sound the alarm and I'm not much for killing. Shifting was out of the question provided that you needed a pass to get out. Shadow looked around there was a large pile of leaves beneath a tree from this fall. An idea formed in her mind along with a sly smile. Shadow pulled out an oilcloth ball curiously sown watertight. The ball itself was a dull brown, the color of a fall leaf, but what it was filled with was important. The water balloon-as Shad called them- was made of dry brittle clothe that broke upon impact. Inside was a mixture of Greek fire and with a touch of magic previously instilled it would ignite upon impact-perfect. With impeccable aim Shad threw the ball so that it hit, splattered on the tree in the leaves, and the balloon's green liquid slid down the trunk on to the leaves; then spontaneously ignited. Shad waited for the blaze to grow on the dry, dead wood seeing as it was the middle of winter. As expected the blaze quickly caught everything in sight including the guard's attention causing them to fun from their post and try and put it out. But the water they poured on it only made the fire bigger. Shad smiled as she shook her head and darted through her opening-out the gate to freedom. 


End file.
